Kozhikode: A presentation on the vetiver cultivation project introduced in Malappuram for conserving riverbeds drew attention of officials who came from various parts of Malabar to attend a one-day workshop on ‘river management' hosted by the Kozhikode district administration at the Collectorate conference hall here on Thursday.
Presenting a paper on ‘protection of riverbanks through vetiver system technology', Malappuram Collector M.C. Mohandas said the project, undertaken on an experimental basis in select grama panchayats, was found effective in conserving riverbanks in a natural way.
Planting vetiver saplings on the banks would never be a Herculean task for any government department provided they set aside a portion of the river management fund for the cause, he added.
Mr. Mohandas said it would cost Rs.10,000 to plant vetiver saplings on nearly one acre.
The fund allotted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) could be utilised for supporting the scheme.
He said vetiver could better protect the riverbed than concrete revetment. It had also been found good for purifying water and to control poisonous snakes in farms, he said.
Mr. Mohandas said nurturing vetiver grass in areas affected by cave-ins would be a lasting solution to the problem.
He cited the experience of the Malappuram district administration, which planted vetiver saplings on either side of the Nadukani Ghat road.
Referring to the role played by self-help groups in making the project a success in Malappuram, he said many women were engaged in supplying vetiver saplings.
The production of value added products from vetiver too would get a fillip in the coming days, Mr. Mohandas added.
Kozhikode Collector P.B. Salim opened the workshop. River management committee members K. Somasundaran and K. Bhaskaran presented papers at the workshop, which was attended by officials from Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts.
Source: The Hindu, 14-12-2010
Presenting a paper on ‘protection of riverbanks through vetiver system technology', Malappuram Collector M.C. Mohandas said the project, undertaken on an experimental basis in select grama panchayats, was found effective in conserving riverbanks in a natural way.
Planting vetiver saplings on the banks would never be a Herculean task for any government department provided they set aside a portion of the river management fund for the cause, he added.
Mr. Mohandas said it would cost Rs.10,000 to plant vetiver saplings on nearly one acre.
The fund allotted under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) could be utilised for supporting the scheme.
He said vetiver could better protect the riverbed than concrete revetment. It had also been found good for purifying water and to control poisonous snakes in farms, he said.
Mr. Mohandas said nurturing vetiver grass in areas affected by cave-ins would be a lasting solution to the problem.
He cited the experience of the Malappuram district administration, which planted vetiver saplings on either side of the Nadukani Ghat road.
Referring to the role played by self-help groups in making the project a success in Malappuram, he said many women were engaged in supplying vetiver saplings.
The production of value added products from vetiver too would get a fillip in the coming days, Mr. Mohandas added.
Kozhikode Collector P.B. Salim opened the workshop. River management committee members K. Somasundaran and K. Bhaskaran presented papers at the workshop, which was attended by officials from Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Kasaragod districts.
Source: The Hindu, 14-12-2010
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